Showing all posts in babies

In babies, shopping, tips

STAY THRIFTY WHILE BABY SHOPPING: FIVE TIPS FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE TO SAVE CASH

Author RosselPosted on Leave a comment

baby

Being a parent for the first time has always been an exciting and admittedly frightening job. You just never know what to do. But the biggest dilemma comes before labor: baby shopping. Ever stopped to stare at a gorgeous bracelet for your baby only to walk past it after looking at the price tag? We understand you. Napkins, bibs, diapers, clothes, strollers, food, the sheer weight of these things can empty your pockets rapidly.

Here are five tips to utilize when shopping for your newborn. Be sure always to pick out your favorites, and never let these tips prevail over what your baby will find comfortable.

Tip #1: Gather Your List

Most new parents don’t know what to buy and not to buy for their newborn. A responsible parent will have a list of every item necessary beforehand. Some handy things to keep in your wishlist include:

  • Clothes: Babies usually require clothes which are light and airy, except in the case of winters, when more comfy and warm clothing would work. Babies grow very fast though, and your newborn clothes won’t last long.
  • Food: Babies need only the best and most nutritious meals. For the first six months, breast milk or store bought milk is all your baby needs to keep his bones and other anatomical systems strong. It is recommended to breastfeed, but milk can also be provided from outside sources.
  • Diapers: Newborns are very messy, and if you’re not ready, you’ll learn that the hard way. Children need a lot of diapers, especially directly after birth. Have at least ten diapers handy on your first day, and keep buying more and more packs over the course of a month.
  • Strollers: Babies require walks down the park just like your local pets. Spending money on a stroller can be smart, but many can be expensive and unaffordable. You also always have the option of a double stroller, which would be great for twins.

Tip #2: Find The Perfect Milk

For the first six months, most experts say that breast milk should be your first option. Breastfeeding is not only healthier and more natural for the baby, but it also costs nothing. Ask your nurse or midwife for nursing tips. Most commonly asked questions would be regarding the frequency of feeding and the amount.

Milk from cows contains high concentrations of lactose, calcium, lipids (fats), vitamins, and multiple minerals. It makes it an excellent option for newborns. If for some reason, breastfeeding is out of bounds, then buy cow’s milk. It is a cheaper option when compared to soy milk. Try your best to buy those on sale, but remember: some things are cheap for a reason.

Tip #3: Consider Your Options For A Stroller

Strollers can be relatively more expensive, and many parents choose to look past them. The cheapest one can cost as little as $60, but the good ones can cost as much as $200. We wouldn’t recommend spending on one if your budget is tight, but if you have to buy strollers which can be doubled as a bed and a baby chair. Most people choose to let their baby eat and sleep on the same tram, but they also must remember to give the baby other surfaces to sleep on too once in a while.

Tip #4: Don’t Hire A Baby Nanny

If you feel like you cannot look after the baby yourself, then it would be best to hire a nanny. But most nannies nowadays charge an arm and a leg for a simple daycare routine. If you’re tight on the budget, we recommend looking after the baby yourself. Get some help from the nurses and doctors in the hospital. Ask a local mom or a friend how they took care of the baby. You can even call your parents over to give some tips on baby care. If need be, hire a nanny for when you have to go out and cannot take the baby with you.

Tip #5: Start Buying From The Hospital

If you want to cut down on exorbitant retail prices and scams, it would be wiser to buy goods straight from the hospital. Hospitals sometimes can even provide some staple products for free, such as napkins, diapers, sheets, thermometers, disposable pacifiers, and even some rubbing alcohol. Just be sure to never steal for your baby. Even the pharmacy can offer lesser prices, and you can also get some help from the doctors there.

Conclusion:

Being a parent scares all of us, but if you see the number of successful parents, you’ll realize that raising a child right is not as hard as it seems. In the end, basic survival is necessary, but watching your child grow into a hero is a parent’s final dream. So hold on to your cash and your diapers, because tonight you’ll be baby shopping!

Image credits: gettyimages; baby.sina.com.cn; amazon

In babies, gift ideas

Customized Gifts for Baby Hampers

Author RosselPosted on 1 Comment

Parents-to-be aren’t the only ones excited about a new baby. Close friends and relatives are usually eager to welcome the baby too. After all, babies are so adorable that you just can’t help but pamper them. It’s a good thing that finding gifts for babies is so easy nowadays. The only challenge is how to make your gift stand out in the sea of plushies, onesies, and blankies. If you want your gift to be more special, then you may want to consider some customized gifts for baby hampers.

baby hamper

Personalized Baby Wear

Clothes, blankets, and bath accessories are some of the most practical gifts that you can give on a baby shower. Babies can get really messy and they need to be changed often. As such, one can never go wrong with a healthy supply of clean baby clothes and bath accessories. If the parents are particular with fabrics, then you may want to get some organic cotton baby wear. Knowing the preference of the parents can help you choose the right customized gifts for baby hampers. Then you can make your gift stand out by personalizing it or having the baby’s name embroidered on the baby clothes.

Character Themed Hampers

Babies look more adorable when they have matching clothes and accessories. You can make this happen by gifting a themed hamper for the baby. The theme may be based on popular cartoon characters of today or classic favorites like Peter Rabbit. Customized gifts for baby hampers may include an assortment of baby wear, bib, mittens, booties, blanket, towels, book, and toys. You may also package your own set of bed and bath hamper with baby wash, oils, hoodie towels, and bath toys too.

Personalized Books

Promote learning by getting books and educational toys for your babies. There are cloth books that can be personalized with the baby’s name in the cover. As they learn how to read, they can move on to story books that can be customized featuring the child as the lead character in the story.

Nappy Cakes and Baby Bouquets

Aside from clothes, nappies are baby necessities that parents can’t do without. So if you are looking for a practical gift then nappies and towels are great candidates. There are baby gift shops that can help you package customized gifts for baby hampers. With their help you can make a good impression by sending over some Nappy Cakes and Baby Bouquets to a baby shower. As implied, these are nappies and baby towels packaged like a cake and a floral bouquet especially made for the baby.

Image source: www.mybabygifts.com.au

In babies, child care

A Short Guide to Your Baby’s Teething Problem

Author RosselPosted on Leave a comment

One of the most difficult things your baby will have to cope with in its first year and a half of life is teething.  This is the process where your baby’s first set of teeth – known as milk teeth – emerge out of their gums, causing them pain.  It’s something that every baby faces, and knowing how to handle it as a parent can be tricky.  So for support, we’ve created this helpful guide to your baby’s teething problem, and how to help them through this troublesome time.

teething problem
Teething is just a natural process
which every baby has to endure.


Signs Your Baby is Teething

Although some of the signs of teething are obvious, such as swollen gums, irritable moods and sleepless nights, there are other signals which are less self-evident.

For example, when your baby rubs their ear on the side where the tooth is coming through, this can be a sign they are experiencing uncomfortable pain. Similarly, if they have redder than usual cheeks, your baby might not just be warm, it could be a sign that there is a pressure build-up in their gums, causing them pain.  Finally, if they are drooling, this could be a sign that there is a tooth pushing through, making it a clear sign for teething.  For more signs of teething, click here for a comprehensive guide.

Issues Caused by Teething

The pressure caused by a tooth pushing through your baby’s gums will cause a lot of discomfort, but this isn’t the only issue that teething will cause them.  There are other symptoms which can cause your baby discomfort through this difficult period, too.

For example, diarrhoea is a common precursor to teething in many babies.  Also, the drool which can be caused by teething can – if it isn’t wiped up – lead to an irritating rash which can sting when touched.

How to Help Your Baby

Unfortunately, there’s not any one cure to teething; it’s just a natural process which every baby has to endure.  There are ways, however, you can help ease their pain and distress which don’t cost a lot and are relatively simple.

For a start, you can wipe their drool to prevent rashes from occurring, and you can give them something to chew one which will prevent them from chewing their fingers or anything else they’re not supposed to.  Retailers like Amber Pumpkin will have varied selections of teething toys which will help to comfort them when teething reaches its most painful moments.

So there you have it – our short guide to your baby’s teething problem, and how you can help them.

Image Credit:
Taoty – FreeDigitalPhotos.Net

In babies

5 Ways to Commemorate Your Baby’s Naming Ceremony

Author RosselPosted on Leave a comment

A baby naming ceremony is a great way of you, your friends and our family coming together to celebrate the birth of your baby.  They come in slightly different variations (Baby Naming parties, Christenings etc.) but despite minor variation, the main aim is simply to welcome the special new edition to your family.  Once the celebrations are over, you might want to find some ways to commemorate your baby’s naming, so we’ve created this helpful guide to help you with some ideas.

collage
Instead of hiding the photos away in an album,
you could create a collage of the best moments.

Well-Timed Blooming Flowers

Use the fact that different flowers come into bloom at different times of the year to help you to remember your baby’s naming celebration.  If you choose flowers which bloom around the same time as that special day, every time you spot them the occasion will come flooding back to you.  If you have more than one child, you could plant different types of flowers for each of them.

Photographs and Paintings

One of the best ways of commemorating your baby’s naming ceremony is by using some of the photographs which were taken and placing them in pride of place of your home.  Instead of hiding the photos away in an album, you could create a collage of the best moments using a free online tool.

Something else you might do is commission an artist to paint a commemorative representation of the event, which you could then place in your living room.  If you don’t know any artists, your local arts council can help you find one for free. You can then have it framed in a special, customised frame like the ones available from Shed Load of Gifts.

Dedication Book

A final way to commemorate your baby’s naming celebration is to create a dedication book where each of your visitors can write a short message to your new family member.  What’s great about this is that it makes a great present to your child later on in life, so you already have a fully-formed 18th birthday present.

If you want to be a little bit creative, you could scan the pages into your computer and make a digital scrapbook with them, enabling you to preserve the precious memories before time gets the chance to erode them.

So there you have it, 3 great tips to help you commemorate your baby’s naming ceremony.  If you’ve been looking for ways to make this special day even better, you’ve found them.

Image Credit:
Aiko Gwen (my new niece)

In babies

The Essential Baby Travel Survival Guide

Author RosselPosted on Leave a comment

One of the best personality traits that a mother can have is responsibility.  It’s important that you’re capable of knowing when your baby is ready to take vital next steps in their development, and how to deal with them.  One of those next steps is taking your baby travelling, thereby removing it from its comfort zone – the world they’ve known since they were born. If you’re unsure of how to progress with this challenging step, we’ve put together our essential baby travel survival guide to help you.

Travelling with your little one requires you to have a few pieces of general baby equipment. If you’re visiting somewhere in a car, you’ll need a car seat.
Travelling with your little one requires you to have a few pieces of general baby equipment. If you’re visiting somewhere in a car, you’ll need a car seat.

When Are They Ready?

Your baby is able to travel as soon as they’re born.   Of course, you’ll probably want to spend your first few weeks at home, allowing them to get to a fundamental grasp of what are its primary surroundings.  However, after that, you can take your baby travelling without worrying.

If you don’t feel very confident, start small.  A trip to the local shop or park will allow you to test your baby out in the world without being too far away from home.  Doing this during school term time would also be sensible, as the streets will be less congested.

The Necessary Equipment

Travelling with your little one requires you to have a few pieces of general baby equipment.  If you’re visiting somewhere in a car, you’ll need a car seat like the ones available from Britax UK so that you don’t break the law and your baby remains safe while you travel.

Similarly, you’ll need to pack nappies, the appropriate amount of food, bubs wipes, and toys to keep them occupied.  Although they’re the basics, you may need to consider some of the following if you’re going on a longer trip to exotic climates:

  • Sun cream
  • Hat
  • Sleeping mat
  • Clothes
  • Portable sterilising kit

Make an itinerant of things you’ll need in advance. That way you won’t overlook something which could cause you to panic when you’re out.

Keeping Your Baby Occupied

This is where the toys you packed come in handy.  Your baby will cry if they’re unhappy, so if you want them to stay satisfied, packing cuddly teddy bears and a musical toy will help to do the trick. If you’re driving for long stretches, you should also pull over frequently to give your baby the love and attention they deserve. Not doing this could be detrimental to their social development – a baby needs their mother.

So there you have it, our essential baby travel survival guide.  If you’ve been worrying about this difficult first step, now you don’t have to.